Knowing what to look for in a breeder means getting the best puppy companion possible!

*3 million dogs enter animal shelters each year, and 1 million of them die there. Rescues and shelters are full of healthy, young, well tempered dogs (including puppies!) looking for homes. Please consider adopting! 

While I am a huge proponent of adopting rescue dogs, if you are set on purchasing a puppy from a breeder, it is incredibly important to know how to select an excellent breeder who will provide you with a puppy that is not only healthy physically, but socially well developed and even-tempered. Sadly, most people who breed dogs are not excellent breeders, but uneducated people looking only to make money or “have fun” raising puppies. It will be you and your puppy who suffer from the lack of proper rearing. 

Puppy Mills: First and foremost, know how to identify a puppy mill operation, and avoid it! Puppy mill puppies are often sold at pet stores, but they may also have a very nice looking set up of puppies in a “home” environment. The breeding stock are the ones kept in appalling conditions out of sight of the buyer. A reputable breeder will always be able to show you the dog’s parents, a puppy mill likely won’t. Avoid any puppies/mothers in a kennel environment, puppies from multiple litters housed together, or puppies kept in a basement, garage, shed, or outdoor area. The only way to discourage puppy mill breeders is to not line their pockets and refuse to purchase a puppy from them- don’t give in to feeling sorry for and “rescuing” a puppy. Instead, file a complaint with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP): https://mydatcp.wi.gov/Complaints/complaint/create/2453365a-7f08-e311-8b10-0050568c06ae

Now that you know what to avoid, here’s what a quality, reputable breeder should look like:

• Raised in the house: The puppies should be kept inside the main home environment, where they can be exposed to the normal sights and sounds of a household.

• 8 weeks minimum: While it is unfortunately legal in the state of Wisconsin to sell a puppy at 7 weeks of age, separating from mom and siblings prior to 8 weeks old can result in a puppy who has missed out on important mental development that only mom and puppy siblings can provide. Many studies are now suggesting that staying with their dog families until 10 weeks of age provides additional advantages in social and emotional development. I would never purchase a dog from a breeder who sells puppies prior to 8 weeks old. 

• Basic training: An excellent breeder should be familiar with basic training commands and, at the very least, have taught the puppies how to sit on command. This also demonstrates that the breeder has a good understanding of dog behavior. There are plenty of average breeders who do not attempt to train their puppies at all, but if you are committed to buying a breeder puppy for breeder puppy prices, then you should have high standards and expect the very best! 

• Breed knowledge: The breeder should provide you with information on the breed of puppy you have selected. And, while you should have already done your homework- a deep dive into this breed of dog, both good and bad traits- a good breeder will have an excellent knowledge of, and be happy to educate you on, the breed of dogs they raise. 

• Pet vs working lineage: Ask about the dogs’ lineage and whether they are bred for pets/conformation or from working lines. 99% of families looking to purchase a puppy should buy a dog from companion/conformation lines. These dogs will very likely be more mild mannered and have a calmer temperament than a working line dog. Unless you are in a unique circumstance and are looking for a dog to do a specific job (guardian livestock on a farm, for example), the average pet owner would be in over their heads with a working line dog. 

• Meet mom & dad: Ask to meet and evaluate the parents. You don’t have to know the first thing about breed standards to see that the parent dogs are healthy, well trained, and pleasant in temperament. I think of the couple who told me how “wild and crazy” their puppy’s parents were when they met them. That should’ve been a huge red flag, yet they purchased (and struggled to train) a puppy who turned out to be every bit as wild and crazy in temperament as its parents. When it comes to nature and nurture, a good breeder selects parents with excellent temperament genetics (nature), and has a high standard of obedience in their dogs (nurture). 

• Social Development: There is one single most important factor in selecting a breeder: they must have an extensive knowledge of early socialization of infant puppies. The stage of socialization during the time between birth and 8 weeks old is extremely important. The experiences puppies have during this time will have a huge affect on their temperament and personality later on. 2 questions to ask a breeder on socialization are: 

1. What do you do to socialize the puppies? 

Answers should sound like: This is an open ended question that will vary from person to person. You should receive a fairly long explanation with a detailed list of protocols the breeder uses to handle and expose the puppies. They should mention desensitization to sounds like vacuum cleaners, doorbells, pot & pans, etc. A concerning answer would be: “Oh, yes! We let the kids hold the puppies, we play with them a lot, they snuggle in bed with us…” This novice answer is sorely lacking and would not equate to proper desensitization. 

2. Do you do any early neurological stimulation, such as the bio sensor program?

Answers should sound like: ENS helps puppies grow up to be stress resilient and handleable as adults (learn more about it here: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/breeder-puppy-socialization-early-neurological-stimulation/). Some breeders may use sophisticated programs such as AviDog, while others simply practice ENS or Bio Sensor procedures on their own. Purchasing a puppy who hasn’t experienced ENS is like playing the puppy lottery. Some puppies who don’t experience ENS will grow up to have an acceptable temperament, but many will exhibit behavioral issues later on. Some may even develop aggressive tendency or anxiety issues. I personally would never purchase a dog from a breeder who is not practicing early neurological stimulation.

A breeder is a dog’s first trainer. If there is one thing I am adamant about, it is that the puppies have been being “shaped” through the breeder’s training protocols from the very start. Selecting a breeder that truly understands puppy psychological development is a must!

Is all this stuff really necessary? I just want a puppy, why should I care about all this technical puppy rearing stuff? 

There’s nothing wrong with raising a puppy who’s had a less than ideal start in life. I work mainly with rescue dogs and many are great family pets, but if you are going to pay thousands of dollars for a purebred puppy, you should do so for a reason- namely, that this puppy has been raised to be the very best in temperament that they can be. As responsible pet owners, we should only be supporting breeders who are doing their best to breed excellent quality dogs, and not supporting those who are irresponsibly pumping out puppies for money. Anything less than excellence will result in a puppy who is fearful, ill mannered, and incredibly difficult to train. Save yourself many future headaches with a little breeder evaluation!